WKYT FirstAlert Weather

A band of heavy rain continues to sink southward into the region. We will have to keep a close eye on this later this evening into tonight. The rest of the forecast remains unchanged with a major winter storm moving in late Wednesday and Thursday.

Severe Weather Alert

A band of heavy rain continues to sink southward into the region. We will have to keep a close eye on this later this evening into tonight. The rest of the forecast remains unchanged with a major winter storm moving in late Wednesday and Thursday.

Hundreds still without electricity in Menifee County

MENIFEE COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - As of Thursday night, hundreds of people in Menifee County were still without electricity at their homes.

As the hours pass, the situation became more dire for folks without heat which is why a warming center was set up at 44 McCausey Ridge Road in Frenchburg.

Whether they heard it over the scanner or by word of mouth, “We can lodge 50 people here if anyone needs a warm place to stay,” this message grabbed the attention of many folks in Menifee County including Phillip Flannery.

“I knew I couldn’t survive without electric. I knew my heater wouldn’t work and there wouldn’t be any way for me to eat,”” Flannery told us Thursday night.

He lost power around 2 a.m. Wednesday and has been scrambling to find somewhere to stay ever since.

“I would either have to sleep in my van or I would have had to sleep at home in the freezing cold.”

After being without power for more than 36 hours, Flannery finally made his way over to the temporary shelter on McCausey Ridge Road.

“You feel more secure when you have a warm place to sleep,” Flannery said. This message is one that officials hope will sink in for other folks in a similar situation.

“If people would come here it'd be really great but a lot of people don’t like to leave their home because they are comfortable but then they risk the chance of freezing to death,” said Jennifer Rogers with Menifee County Emergency Management.

Emergency management officials plan to work with the Red Cross in order to bring in warm meals for anyone staying at the temporary shelter on Friday.

If you would like more information about the shelter or directions to the shelter, call Menifee County dispatch at 606-768-9046.

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